Digital and social media have been prominent buzzwords in the communications business, where professionals are increasingly leveraging interactive tools to gather information and communicate with more targeted and global audiences. The impact of the virtual world has penetrated the macrocosm that is the Indian media. The Media Insights report, conducted by multidisciplinary communications firm 20:20 MSL in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, sheds light on the spark behind the ideation and execution of a journalist’s story in the present-day scenario. The report is based on one-on-one interviews conducted with a stratified sample of 309 journalists from regional and national publications across the country. Our agency in India - 2020MSL - brings insights into the growing redundancy of the one-time star of the communications world – the press release with this study. The waning interest in the standard-format, and now mundane, document stems from a clutter of corporate news releases that media outposts are faced with on a daily basis. Additionally, a common sentiment that journalists have expressed is the need for first-hand fact-checking before their stories are filed. This is precisely the need that social networks fulfill. Even while adherence to convention may be the risk-free way to go, what communications professionals must understand is the scope for successful storytelling and message delivery through a social interface that empowers users to exchange content and facilitate meaningful conversations and actions.
Citation preview
1. #MEDIAINSIGHTS REPORT EVOLVING SOURCES OF NEWS FOR MEDIA A
STUDY
2. About 20:20 MSL: 20:20 MSL is one of India's largest
multidiscipline communications firms and a leader in the area of
specialty communications services including corporate reputation
management, strategic media relations, analyst relations, social
media, crisis and issues management, events and activation
services. The firm is also the acknowledged leader in technology
communications space in India. Through its powerful network of more
than 150 staff across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai,
Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune, as well as the reach of the MSLGROUP
and Publicis Groupe international network, 20:20 MSL partners with
more than 100 leading Indian brands and multinationals to deliver
world-class communications. About IIMC: The Indian Institute of
Mass Communication (IIMC) is one of India's premier institutes for
training, teaching and research in mass communication. Set up to
impart quality education and conduct research with special
reference to the socio-economic growth in the country, it was set
up by the Government of India in 1965 on the recommendation of a
team of internationally known mass communication specialists from
UNESCO and the Ford Foundation.
3. With a tremendous media explosion and the proliferation of
large amounts of data online (especially on social media) and the
emergence of more than 300 round-the-clock news channels, the speed
at which information is sourced, sifted and included in news
stories has undergone a paradigm shift. 20:20 MSL, one of India's
premier Public Relations firm and the Advertising & Public
Relations Department of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication
(IIMC) joined hands to research the changing patterns of news
sourcing by journalists and their effect on the news writing. The
current research, exploratory in nature, has been undertaken with a
view to understanding the changing patterns of news sourcing by
media persons and the concomitant effect on news story writing.
This first-of-its- kind research combined the academic expertise of
IIMC with the professional rigour of 20:20 MSL to arrive at
insights that would benefit India's media and communications
industry. The findings of this study are aimed at benefiting
PR/communication agencies and practitioners in leveraging their
strategies and tactics. Mr. Sunit Tandon, Director General, IIMC
& FOREWORD RESEARCH TEAM: IIMC Research lead : Professor
Jaishri Jethwaney, PhD. Team members : Krishna Pandey, Narendra
Singh Rao and Prarthana & 20:20 MSL The research was conducted
through one-on-one interviews with a number of journalists based in
Delhi and telephonic interviews with journalists from various other
cities and towns. A stratified sample of 309 journalists was
identified, encompassing a cross-section of 239 English and 60
Hindi-language print media outposts, news and business television
channels and digital media organizations. Ten other journalists
were selected from Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil and Telegu
media. A pre-determined and encoded questionnaire for face-to-face
interviews was designed along with a research guide for telephonic
interviews. Researchers on the team comprised seasoned media and
communications academicians and practitioners from IIMC and 20:20
MSL. The research operates on the hypothesis that digital and
social media have become important sources of research and news
sourcing for journalists. The research universe was drawn keeping
in view, the state of Internet penetration in the country. The
sample was carefully chosen to cover a cross section of media in
metro and mini metro cities of India. It is planned to undertake a
series of such research studies in future that would cover language
& regional media adequately. METHODOLOGY Chetan Mahajan,
Managing Director, 20:20 MSL
4. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS Total = respondents309 Experience (in
years) North 215 South 45 West 38 East 11 15% 70% 12% 3% Number of
journalists by region 68% Male 211 32% Female 98 Over 21 yrs. 16-20
yrs. 11-15 yrs. 6-10 yrs. Less than 5 yrs. 7%22 40 13% 110 36% 105
34% 32 10% Gender ratio
5. By beat (multiple response) Science & Tech Business
& Corporate 21% Development Political Lifestyle &
Entertainment 15% 3% 10% 5% 29%12%5% Legal Sports Others 86 64 21
49 44 20 12113 By media type 10% Financials 31 6% Business
Magazines 19 4% Trade Magazines 13 14% Other Magazines 43 12%
Electronic 38 31% Mainlines 95 18% Wire 54 5% Online 16 By Language
The universe comprised mainstream newspapers and magazines,
financial and trade papers, wire agencies, online portals and news
channels. The journalists from various media were represented as
reflected in the chart below. Bengali Marathi 4 1% 2 1% Gujarati
Hindi 0%1 60 20% Telegu 2 1% 1 0%Tamil English 77%239 PS: Since
there are some journalist who cover more than one beat, the total
will not reconcile with the total number of respondents i.e. 309 -
this content needs to be moved to the next page. This is applicable
for "By Beat (multiple response)" section.
6. CONTENTS Key Findings The Number Game The First step to the
big story The Press Release Story Most Importantly, Are they used?
How are they used? Talking about favourite sources What about
genuineness of the source? Is gender a barrier? The net connect
What is the social quotient? Most 'likes' for facebook 07 08 10 15
19 21 24 27 30 33 37 40
7. KEY FINDINGS PR/communication agencies and companies need to
use the Net vigorously to reach out to the journalists faster.
Communication agencies are best placed advising their clients to
post crisp content, sound bytes, clips and pictures on their web
sites as journalists, especially in crisis situations, look for
authentic pieces of information amid grapevine. They also look for
quotes from company spokespersons that could easily be made
available through company web sites. The traditional way of writing
and sending press releases has long become outdated. There is
clearly a need to reinvent touch points, formats, styles and
objectives of press releases when over 47% journalists use less
than 10% of the press releases they receive. It is crucial for the
sources of dispatching news releases to be exclusive. Checking on
the veracity of sources involves identifying more innovativetouch
points across social media, company web sites and blogs, among
others. A majority of journalists cutting across age, gender and
specialization use the Internet to develop their stories. The
benefits they garner from the digital space range from story
conceptualization and content validation to background research and
insights into current and evolving news updates and trends. Social
networking sites have evolved as an important platform for
journalists, who leverage them to gauge public opinion during
crisis situations. Company websites are accessed to get authentic
information, especially for quotes.
8. 8 The first section of the questionnaire focused on how many
stories journalists write per week and what triggers their story
ideas. Conversations with the 309 journalists interviewed reflect
that the number of stories journalists write declines as their
level of seniority increases. However, the number of stories they
edit makes up for the time spent away from writing and reporting.
Also, the research indicates that journalists from the North
contribute the most number of stories. Senior journalists write
lesser stories than their younger counterparts #mediainsights
Journalists in the North contribute the most number of stories
#mediainsights THE NUMBER GAME SECTION 1
9. 9 South Between 1-5 Between 6-10 Between 11-15 More than 15
Between 1-5 Between 6-10 Between 11-15 More than 15 Between 1-5
Between 6-10 Between 1-5 Between 6-10 Between 11-15 East WEST North
8% 46% 12% 34% 24% 69% 05% 02% 18% 82% 10% 3% 58% 29% THE NUMBER
GAME SECTION 1
10. 10 THE FIRST STEP TO THE BIG STORY The research sheds light
on how journalists conceive story ideas. Internal meetings,
tip-offs, events and primary research were the most popular sources
with 63 percent of journalists relying on these activities for
story ideas. Internal brainstorm sessions and editorial meetings
were found to be the most preferred sources for generating fresh
content-related ideas. Online content and social networks seem to
be triggers for the same pie of journalists across all experience
levels. In an informal interview chat, one of the journalists said
that reading and surfing could provide some cues, but that it was
sheer hard work when one finally wrote a story. There was no way
one could do desktop stories, said another journalist. Yet, another
journalist felt that the Net could provide a trigger. Seasoned
journalists, more often than not, develop sustainable relationships
with their sources, consult experts and interview key people to get
the flavour for the subjects they are reporting on. Looking
specifically at regional variations in story conceptualization,
more journalists from the South look for story triggers in
competitive media vis-- vis other regions. The regional analysis
also indicated that most journalists from East draw on events to
evolve fresh story ideas. The popularity of interactive formats
provides an immense opportunity for corporates to reach out to
media in the East through press events. SECTION 1 Internal
brainstorming meetings are the biggest source of story ideas
#mediainsights In terms of getting story ideas, age is no bar as
far as reliance on online media is concerned #mediainsights News
hooks across competitive media serve as story idea triggers for 16%
of journalists in the South, versus 9% in the North #mediainsights
Events are more favored by journalists in the East, followed by the
North, West and South #mediainsights Communications agencies are
most preferred by journalists covering sports, followed by those
covering Business & Corporate and Science & Technology
#mediainsights Women reporters have a greater affinity for
communications agencies versus their male counterparts
#mediainsights
11. 11 Competition media/ channel/newspaper 10% Tip-off 14% An
event 15% Social Network 07% Online content/news 08% 09% Primary
research 13% Others 03%Communication agencies THE FIRST STEP TO THE
BIG STORY Internal meeting decision 21% SECTION 1
12. 12 THE FIRST STEP TO THE BIG STORY Internal meeting
decision Competition media Tip-off Communication agencies Primary
research Others An event Social Network Online content North South
East West 20% 9% 13% 16% 8% 8% 9% 13% 4% 26% 16% 16% 7% 2% 10% 10%
10% 3% 29% 6% 15% 20% 3% 3% 6% 18% 0% 20% 11% 14% 14% 5% 6% 8% 19%
3% SECTION 1
13. 13 THE FIRST STEP TO THE BIG STORY Business & Corporate
Lifestyle & Entertainment Science & Tech Sports 21% 10% 13%
12% 5% 13% 10% 13% 3% 25% 7% 14% 16% 8% 6% 10% 13% 1% 19% 11% 10%
17% 11% 11% 8% 9% 4% 19% 9% 13% 19% 8% 3% 13% 14% 2% Internal
meeting decision Competition media Tip-off Communication agencies
Primary research Others An event Social Network Online content
SECTION 1
14. I remember that as a Principal Correspondent of a daily, I
would file at least of 3-4 exclusives in a week. On a daily basis,
it used to work out to minimum of two stories. However, the
scenario today hasnt changed in terms of numbers but what has
perhaps changed is that I have to ensure that these stories are
getting filed. The first story idea trigger is definitely the way
you track the sector and if theres any important development that
comes up. Press releases and company events also serve as important
first steps. We also keep a track of all major publications to
ensure that we have everything important covered. Sudhir Chowdhary,
Features Head, Financial Express Anurag Prasad, Senior Editor,
Fortune India Talking from the perspective of a magazine, the
number of stories are higher for a daily, however the thing to be
kept in mind here is the size of the story. For a typical 2500 word
magazine story, it makes up for five 500 stories or over eight 300
word stories for are usually written for dailies. Therefore, this
dynamics have to be considered keeping everything in mind. As the
experience grows, you write lesser stories but of course, there are
responsibilities of reading, rewriting and editing more stories. As
far as story triggers are concerned, I believe numbers alone dont
make a story, especially for a magazine. Ideas primarily come from
internal editorial meetings, constantly meeting people and more
recently tracking social media closely. EXPERT SPEAK SECTION 1
15. 15 This section offers insights into the growing redundancy
of press releases and the need to explore other communications
avenues. The primary objective of creating and sharing a press
release is to bring a story to life. But that does not always
happen. Most press releases are not even read beyond the first two
lines in cases where the writer has done a brilliant job. While
seasoned professionals may have written off the press release
concept as a media outreach tool, it continues to exist, even as
questions arise in connection with the purpose it serves. On an
average, 44 percent of journalists receive more than 15 press
releases a day. What is surprising is that only 27 percent of
journalists with less than 5 years of experience receive more than
15 releases a day vis--vis a whopping 64 percent of journalists
with two decades of experience and over. It is important to keep
senior journalists posted on key announcements. However, it is
imperative to screen the level of importance effectively. Younger
reporters getting fewer press releases than their senior
counterparts may actually mean losing out on an opportunity. Since
seasoned professionals mostly have richer sources of information
gathering, their dependence on press releases is relatively lesser
than that of their younger counterparts. While receiving the press
release is one matter, reading is another and definitely more
critical. Thirty-seven percent of journalists said that they read
more than 50 percent of the press releases they received; while 20
percent revealed that they read less than 10 percent. A scanty 4
percent of journalists do not read any press releases that come
their way. THE PRESS RELEASE STORY SECTION 2 44% of journalists
receive more than 15 press releases a day #mediainsights 64% of
journalists with over two decades of experience receive more than15
press releases a day #mediainsights The largest portion of press
releases is focused on legal developments, followed by news updates
in the business/ corporate sector and the science and technology
space #mediainsights 37% of journalists read more than 50% of the
press releases that they receive #mediainsights Younger journalists
read a larger number of press releases vis--vis their senior
counterparts #mediainsights
16. 16 Development, Sports, and Science & Technology are
the most popular categories in terms of the topic focus of press
releases #mediainsights Journalists in the western part of India
get the largestnumber of press releases #mediainsights Journalists
with 16 to 20 years of experience source the highest proportion of
story ideas from the Internet (9%), compared to the overall average
of 4% #mediainsights Journalists in East India read a greater
number of press releases over their counterparts in other regions
#mediainsights THE PRESS RELEASE STORY Seniority predictably plays
a key role in the extent to which press releases are being read.
Forty-four percent of journalists with less than 5 years of
experience read over 50 percent of the press releases that they
receive as against close to one-half (23%) of their senior
counterparts (with more than 20 years of experience). In this
context, the goals of communication professionals, for whom the
press release remains a key component of their media relations
activities, would be best achieved if they reached out to reporters
rather than senior level editors. The research indicates that news
events across the development and social sector garner interest
with 62 percent of journalists reading more than 50 percent of
related press releases. The sports sector comes in second at 55
percent, followed by science and technology (39 ). The West leads
the way with the greatest number of press releases (61% of
journalists receive more than 15 press releases a day) followed by
the North (44 ), South (38 ) and East (27 ). Just as events are
more favoured by journalists in the East to get story ideas, press
releases seem to be the regions favorite as well, with 45 percent
of journalists reading more than 50 percent of the press releases
that they receive. Meanwhile, a mere 24 percent of journalists in
the South read more than 50 percent of the press releases. % % % %
SECTION 2
17. 17 THE PRESS RELEASE STORY How many press releases are
received 44% More than 15 2% None 12% Less than 5 28% Between 6 and
10 14% Between 10 and 15 27% 46% 60% 63% 64% Less than 5 yrs. 6-10
yrs. 11-15 yrs. 16-20 yrs. Over 21 yrs. SECTION 2
18. 18 How many press releases are read 4% None THE PRESS
RELEASE STORY 18% Around 10-25% 21% Around 25-50% 20% Less than 10%
37%More than 50% SECTION 2 23% Over 21 yrs. 31% 33% 35% 44% 16-20
yrs. 11-15yrs. 6-10 yrs. Less than 5 yrs. 27% Business &
Corporate Science & Tech Development Political Legal Lifestyle
& Entertainment 39% 62% 37% 31% 32% 55% 49% Sports Others
19. 19 Clearly, press releases are received and some are read.
But whether they are used is what makes or breaks it. Only 6
percent of journalists across all categories said that they don't
use the press releases in any context. A proportion of 48 percent
stated that they used less than 10 percent of the press releases
they received. While this percentage might be low, it could also
reflect the quality of the press release in question, or the level
of importance and newsworthiness the announcement holds.
Additionally, 7 percent of journalists said that they used more
than 50 percent of the press releases that reached them. With
experience, the rate of journalists' dependence on press releases
goes down too. This also supports our previous data points of
senior journalists reading fewer press releases as compared to
their younger counterparts. While 10 percent of journalists with
less than five years of experience use more than 50 percent of
press releases for building their stories, the percentage drops to
3 percent for journalists with an experience of 16-20 years behind
them. MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE THEY USED? Only 6% of journalists dont
use press releases for building stories #mediainsights 9% of
journalists use more than 50% of press releases for conceptualising
stories #mediainsights Senior journalists use fewer press releases
for stories than their younger counterparts #mediainsights SECTION
2
20. 20 MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE THEY USED? 7% Less than 5 yrs.
6-10 yrs. 11-15 yrs. 16-20 yrs. Over 21 yrs. 10% 7% 5% 3% 5% None
Less than 10% Around 10-25% Around 25-50% 13% 26% 48% 6% More than
50% SECTION 2
21. 21 A press release goes through various life stages before
it actually takes the shape of a story and gets published. It is
created and sent to journalists, who may choose not to read it. And
if they do, they may choose not to use it. If they get used to the
press release format, what is the final outcome? Thats the question
that we will seek to answer in this section. Overall, a good press
release is seen more as an idea for a story, than the story itself.
56 percent of journalists believe that a worthy press release
serves as a story idea versus 9 percent who may use it as the story
itself. Not to mention the remaining 35 percent of journalists who
draw on selective press releases to develop a major portion of
content for their stories. The research ascertains that as
journalists gain more experience the need to showcase novel ideas
keeps spiraling upwards. While 10 percent of the journalists with
less than 10 years of experience may use a good press release as a
story in itself, the pie becomes half (5%) for journalists who have
over two decades of experience. If we look at East, while no
journalist may use the press release as a story in itself, 64
percent of the journalists agreed that they use press releases as
major content of their story and 36 percent utilise them as story
idea triggers. Journalists in the North, South and West use press
releases as triggers for story ideas, followed by major content for
their stories and lastly as a story in itself. Science and
technology, and development sectors have an advantage over other
sectors, since these press releases are often used as a story in
entirety 17 percent and 19 percent respectively. 60 percent of the
journalists use business and corporate press releases to generate
story ideas whereas the percentage goes up to 70 percent for the
sports news. Looking at the gender analysis specifically, while 30
percent of the male journalists use the press releases for major
story content, the percentage goes up to 44 percent for the women
counterparts. HOW ARE THEY USED? A good press release is seen more
as an idea for a story, than the story itself #mediainsights 35% of
journalists use press releases as a major source of content for
their stories #mediainsights The proportion of senior journalists
who use press releases as a story in itself is half that of their
younger counterparts #mediainsights Journalists in the North, West
and South display similar behavior in terms of how they use press
releases; East differs #mediainsights Press releases from the
Science & Technology and Development sectors are used as
stories in themselves to a greater extent than press releases from
other sectors #mediainsights More women journalists use press
releases as major content source versus their male counterparts
#mediainsights SECTION 2
22. 22 HOW ARE THEY USED? A story in itself Major content for a
story An idea for a story NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST 9% 12% 8% 6% 5% 35%
31% 38% 47% 27% 56% 57% 55% 47% 68% Less than 5 yrs. 11-15 yrs.
Over 21 yrs. 16-20 yrs. 6-10 yrs. 11% 39% 50% 04% 27% 69% 64% 36%
5% 13% 82% A story in itself An idea for story Major content for a
story SECTION 2
23. I feel that press releases give a brief overview of the
subject at hand but are not comprehensive enough to convey the
whole story. While I read about 50% of the press releases that I
get in a given day I only use them if they are deemed newsworthy. I
feel compelled to read further if the first paragraph is
interesting enough, the subject line or the headline does not make
much difference to me. While I have no preference for a specific
format I would like to have the release in the body of the email
rather than as an attachment. I also feel that follow ups are not
important at all and if the release is interesting enough it will
get picked up and follow ups don't help in achieving coverage.
Venkatesh Ganesh, Special Correspondent, Hindu Business Line Sudhir
Chowdhary, Features Head, Financial Express We get about 20-25
press releases in a day and definitely, the subject line is what
makes us read it. And then of course, follow ups serve as
reminders, but they should be limited to very important press
releases only. Once we open the email, it is the headline and the
first paragraph that either makes it to the story or not. EXPERT
SPEAK SECTION 2
24. 24 The study takes a closer look at what sources
journalists most rely on during the course of their formative
research for a story. Most journalists (62%) prefer getting their
information directly from the source, while choosing multiple
options in the questionnaire. This could mean opting for
interactions with the concerned spokesperson, engaging in a site
visit, referring to company websites as a content source. This is
reason enough for companies to ensure that they have an updated
website, and more so, an updated news room. When they had to choose
just one option, 67 percent of journalists vouched for interviews
with the concerned person and visiting the company's website as
their most preferred content research activities. Social media took
a relatively small portion of the pie with a miniscule 8 percent of
journalists opting for this source as a content research platform.
In a one-on-one interview, a business correspondent said that
talking with analysts was another popular source of information.
Product reviews were written after personal experience of using the
products and experiencing its pros and cons. Breaking down to the
regions, in the West and North, 63 percent and 56 percent
(respectively) of journalists rated interviews with spokespersons
as their most favoured source of gathering information. In the
East, this proportion is much lower at 27 percent. This also
reflects the fact that most large corporate offices are based out
of Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore, thus offering a greater opportunity
to meet company representatives. While the East's preference for
spokesperson interactions might be low at 27 percent, it ranks
highest in its access of information from company websites, with 36
percent of journalists vouching for it. TALKING ABOUT FAVOURITE
SOURCES SECTION 3 63% of journalists in the West and 56% in the
North prefer spokesperson interactions for researching on stories
#mediainsights Younger journalists, who are more digital media
savvy than their seasoned counterparts, use social media platforms
for content research #mediainsights 67% of journalists prefer
company websites or interactions with spokespersons to research on
their stories #mediainsights While only 27 of journalists in the
East prefer interviews for gathering information, 36% prefer
referring to company websites #mediainsights %
25. 25 TALKING ABOUT FAVOURITE SOURCES While choosing multiple
options Social media 8% Web sites of organizations 138 %17 Tip-off
from sources (known) 15%15% Stories in print or electronic media
11%16% Site of the event 16% Interviews with the concerned 29%
Tip-off from sources (unknown) {34} 4%4% SECTION 3
26. 26 TALKING ABOUT FAVOURITE SOURCES North South East West
Stories in print or electronic media Interviews with the concerned
Web sites of organizations Tip-off from sources (known) Social
media 56% 47% 27% 63% 10% 11% 09% 16% 04% 09% 00% 00% 11% 09% 36%
16% 19% 24% 27% 05% SECTION 3
27. 27 WHAT ABOUT GENUINENESS OF THE SOURCE? The research
examines how journalists establish the credibility of their sources
and the information they have received. Cross-checking from various
sources was the most preferred route to source authenticity, with
55 percent of journalists choosing this option. Speaking with the
concerned company representative is the next in line, with 37
percent of journalists declaring their preference for it. A scanty
8 percent relied on intuition to verify a source's credibility. The
preference for gut feel is lower in journalists with 6-10 years of
experience (3%) vis--vis journalists with more than two decades in
the field (20%). Taking cues from the previous section, 92 percent
of journalists in the East preferred to cross check from various
sources. However, their dependence on interviews was low with only
8 percent of journalists choosing this option. Journalists from
this region displayed little or no reliance on gut feel as a
precipitating factor for checking the genuineness of their sources.
Overall, men exhibited a stronger gut feel dependence quotient,
with 9 percent of male reporters relying on intuition to
authenticate their sources, as against 4 percent, among women
journalists. SECTION 3 8% of journalists depend on gut instinct to
verify the authenticity of their sources #mediainsights Journalists
in the East majorly rely on cross checking information for ensure
authenticity of the source #mediainsights To ensure authenticity of
the source, cross- checking is the most preferred tool among
journalists #mediainsights The greater the journalists level of
seniority, the stronger his or her reliance on gut instinct
#mediainsights Men rely more on gut-feel vis--vis women journalists
to authenticate sources #mediainsights
28. 28 WHAT ABOUT GENUINENESS OF THE SOURCE? 55% 37% 8% Through
cross checking from various sources Speaking with the concerned
spokesperson Gut feeling SECTION 3
29. WHAT ABOUT GENUINENESS OF THE SOURCE? 29 55% 59% 60% 55%
48% %37 39% 36% 31% 32% 08% 03% 04% 14% 20% Less than 5 yrs. 6-10
yrs. 11-15yrs. 16-20 yrs. Over 21 yrs. Through cross checking from
various sources Speaking with the concerned spokesperson Gut
feeling SECTION 3
30. 1430 Another component of the research focused on the role
of gender in reporting. Overall, the result was encouraging as 89
percent of the journalists interviewed said that the gender of the
source was immaterial. However, looking at the regional analysis, 9
percent of journalists in the East avowed that the gender of the
source was extremely important. This perception was non-existent in
the West and South. While speaking to journalists, it is evident
that some biases do creep in when it comes to the subject of the
story. While those covering the Development and Social sectors have
no gender bias, the ratio falls for categories like Legal, and
Science & Technology. Twenty-three percent of journalists
covering the legal space revealed that the gender of their sources
was important to some extent while 17 percent of Science &
Technology reporters echoed this view. IS GENDER A BARRIER?
Journalists covering the Developmental and Social sectors have no
gender bias #mediainsights 17 of journalists covering Science &
Technology declared that the gender of the source is important to
some extent #mediainsights % The gender of a source does not matter
for 89% of journalists #mediainsights 23% of the journalists
covering legal developments feel that the gender of the source is
important to some extent #mediainsights SECTION 3
31. 31 Only to some extent Definitely Not Really 9% 2% 89% IS
GENDER A BARRIER? SECTION 3
32. If we talk about sources for doing a well-rounded story,
analysts are getting extremely important. This is also keeping in
view that company spokespeople are getting very repetitive. There
are very few spokespeople who have that spark to keep a
conversation going, without sounding the same every time. I feel
that not having opinionated spokespersons is hurting the companies
- if your representative is a walking press release, then perhaps
you don't want to talk and hence industry experts like analysts
become important to get the pulse of the issue in question. As far
as genuineness of the source is concerned, cross- checking is
critical. We have industry sources distributors, analysts, experts,
etc., and speaking to them allows one to get the sense of whether
the information one has received from a particular source is
correct, but going by the gut-feel is perhaps the most risky thing
to do. Company websites can be an important source of information
but far too many companies don't even bother updating their
websites, which kills the purpose. A website is like a caf if your
experience is bad in the first visit, you don't come back to it! I
would recommend every company to have a highly responsive press
section companies like Amazon manage it quite well. Nimish Dubey,
Writer and Editorial Consultant Anurag Prasad, Senior Editor,
Fortune India Conducting research for a story is a huge exercise
and there is no one prime source that can give all the information.
For a large story in a magazine, the number of stake holders can be
anything upwards of 15-20, at times going as high as 40-45, to get
the right pulse and relevant perspective. That's the amount of
research that we are talking about, which ensures cross-checking at
every stage. Of course market research firms and reports play a
huge role. However, I also believe that while data is important, it
is not primary. Numbers should tell a story, otherwise they are
meaningless. In all, it is the story-telling aspect that we always
focus on. EXPERT SPEAK SECTION 3
33. 33 Of the 309 journalists interviewed, 92 percent have
adopted the Internet for reasons ranging from research and
information sourcing to story ideation and validation. While a
meager 4 percent was found to draw resources from the Net to frame
story ideas, 11 percent have been consuming the digital space for
validation and 64 percent of journalists consider it as an
effective platform for research and information sourcing. Digging
deeper, we found that 75 percent of Science & Technology
reporters used their time online for research and information
sourcing, followed by business and corporate journalists (69%). The
Net has well and truly cast its web with 61 percent of journalists
confirming that the Internet has become the biggest source of
information gathering. Only 11 percent think that the time is yet
to come. This is an indication of the importance of being seen
online at the right time and ensuring relevant content enrichment
in the online space. Expectedly, the younger the journalists, the
more they depended on the Internet. 95 percent of respondents with
less than five years of experience use the Internet for myriad
reasons in the context of news. 86 percent of journalists with more
than 20 years of experience have also adopted the Internet of which
54 percent use it for background research and information sourcing.
In the context of regional variances, the South ranks the highest
with 98 percent of respondents using the Internet, followed by the
West (95%) and the North (91%). The East lags behind at 82 percent.
THE NET CONNECT 92% of journalists turn to the Internet for varying
reasons to source information #mediainsights 64% of journalists use
the Internet for research and information sourcing #mediainsights
Science & Technology reporters spend most of their online time
on research and information sourcing #mediainsights 61% of
journalists agree that the Internet has become the biggest source
of information gathering information to a great extent
#mediainsights The younger the journalists, the greater their level
of Internet access for sourcing information #mediainsights 86% of
seasoned journalists with more than two decades of experience use
the Internet for varying reasons to source information
#mediainsights Journalists in Southern India use the Internet more
for sourcing information vis--vis their counterparts in other
regions #mediainsights SECTION 4
34. Information Sourcing 27% Background Research 37% Validation
11% Story Ideas 04% Content Generation 04% Facts & Figures 04%
Facts & Figures 04% Email 01% Dont Use 08% 1434 THE NET CONNECT
SECTION 4
36. 1436 THE NET CONNECT Only to some extent To a great extent
Not really 28% 61% 11% Less than 5 yrs. 6-10 yrs. 11-15 yrs. 16-20
yrs. Over 21 yrs. Less than 5 yrs. 6-10 yrs. 11-15 yrs. 16-20 yrs.
Over 21 yrs. Less than 5 yrs. 6-10 yrs. 11-15 yrs. 16-20 yrs. Over
21 yrs. 25% 28% 30% 38% 32% 66% 60% 53% 56% 59% 10% 12% 18% 06% 09%
SECTION 4
37. 1437 The research would have been incomplete without
analysing the respondents' 'liking' for social networking
platforms. Out of the 309 respondents surveyed, 90 percent use
social networking platforms, reaffirming the altering patterns of
an increasingly multi- channel communications landscape. With
younger journalists accessing social networking platforms with
greater frequency, the age-factor presumably plays up here as well.
94 percent of journalists with less than 10 years of experience
visit social networking platforms versus 59 percent of their
counterparts who have more than two decades of experience. Personal
interviews with journalists offered refreshing insights into the
dynamics of social media usage. One respondent said he used Twitter
to build contacts. Another said that scanning social networking
sites offered a glimpse into the psyche of the youth. Journalists
often surf the social networks to know what's trending, and gauge
the mood of the people, especially post a crisis situation. Another
journalist opined that the advent of social media had changed the
way 'breaking news' was being perceived. Every single respondent
interviewed from the East frequented social networking platforms.
The North and South, followed at 93 and 89 percent respectively,
while the West was comparatively low at 74 percent. Social
networking platforms seem to be more in vogue among journalists
covering the lifestyle and entertainment segment. 95 percent of
reporters from this beat use these platforms, followed by business
& corporate (87%) and sports journalists (85%). In terms of the
gender break-up, more female journalists were found to use social
networks (97%) than their male counterparts (87%). WHAT IS THE
SOCIAL QUOTIENT? The younger the journalists, the greater their
frequency of social media access #mediainsights More female
journalists use social networking platforms than their male
counterparts #mediainsights 90% of journalists use social
networking platforms #mediainsights 100% of journalists in East
frequent social networking platforms the highest amongst all
regions #mediainsights SECTION 4
38. 1438 WHAT IS THE SOCIAL QUOTIENT? Visit social networking
platforms < 5 Yrs 5 to 10 Yrs 11 to 15 Yrs 16 to 20 Yrs >20
Yrs North South East West 94% 95% 87% 87% 59% 93% 89% 100% 74%
SECTION 4
39. 1439 WHAT IS THE SOCIAL QUOTIENT? Visit social networking
platforms Business & Corporate Science & Tech Development
Political Legal Lifestyle & Entertainment Sports Others 97% 87%
Female Male 87% 92% 90% 86% 85% 95% 85% 93% SECTION 4
40. 1440 Facebook rules the roost with 56 percent of
journalists frequenting this platform over others. Out of this, 79
percent have less than ten years of field experience. This finding
links back to our previous discovery of a greater inclination among
younger journalists towards online platforms. Facebook is most
frequented by journalists covering the Lifestyle (66%), Sports
(65%) and Science & Technolgy (61%) sectors. Predictably,
Twitter is the next favourite. It is most frequented by journalists
covering the Legal industry (38%), the Developmental and Social
sectors (24%), and Business and Corporate news (22%). Google+ is
most frequented by journalists covering Developmental and Social
sector (10%). Its popularity among this section of journalists
could stem from strong e-governance initiatives that leverage
Google+ Hangouts. LinkedIn also features in this list, with 14
percent of business and corporate journalists calling it their most
favoured social network. While the East favours Facebook, it shows
no traction for Twitter. Other regions have a balanced view of
Facebook and Twitter, with the former having an edge. The South
scores higher in its usage of Google+ and LinkedIn than other
regions. While Facebook and Twitter are favourites among both
genders, Google+ usage is more prevalent among male respondents
than their female counterparts. MOST 'LIKES' FOR FACEBOOK Facebook
rules the roost among all social networking platforms even in the
media fraternity #mediainsights Facebook is most frequented by
journalists covering Lifestyle, Sports and Science & Tech
#mediainsights Twitter is the next favorite for journalists after
Facebook #mediainsights Twitter is most frequented by journalists
covering the Legal, Development & Social and Business/Corporate
sectors #mediainsights Google+ is most frequented by journalists
covering Developmental & Social sector #mediainsights LinkedIn
is most frequented by journalists covering Business & Corporate
space #mediainsights Journalists in the South use Google+ and
LinkedIn a lot more than those from other regions #mediainsights
Google+ is more frequented by male journalists than women
journalists #mediainsights SECTION 4
43. 1443 MOST 'LIKES' FOR FACEBOOK North South East West 20%
11% 00% 18% 07% 13% 00% 00% 03% 22% 09% 13% 61% 38% 91% 39%
Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn SECTION 4
44. 1544 22% 17% 24% 20% 38% 20% 10% 18% 14% 9% 0% 2% 8% 5% 0%
5% 6% 2% 10% 8% 8% 2% 0% 10% MOST 'LIKES' FOR FACEBOOK 42% 61% 52%
53% 31% 66% 65% 58% Business & Corporate Science & Tech
Development Political Legal Lifestyle & Entertainment Sports
Others FacebookGoogle+ TwitterLinkedIn SECTION 4
45. We see more affinity among younger journalists for internet
and social media platforms. This gap is primarily because of
unfamiliarity to some extent among older journalists and also
because they being busy with 'focused' stories there's this myth
associated with social media of not being focused. The truth is you
can be as serious or as frivolous on social media. Also, the more
focused you are, the better work you do whether you are on or off
the internet or social media. There's spot breaking news on
Twitter, you get the public pulse on social platforms, and in fact
the top stories are being determined increasingly on what's being
discussed on social platforms. Basically, using internet or more
specifically social media is a matter of personal style element and
comfort level. Taking a step ahead of citizen journalism, crowd
sourcing is becoming an important aspect of new age media. Social
media is not an alternative to mainstream media, but is emerging as
a force to shape the behavior of mainstream media. For me, simply
put, Twitter is the new-age Parliament and Facebook is the new-age
caf. Other platforms like Linkedin and Google+ are yet to appeal to
journalists, as far as I can see. Linkedin is majorly for
self-promotion and works great to brands and self; however
journalists prefer a more informal environment and wider reach
which works against Linkedin. Talking about Google+, there are two
things that can help you knowledge & information and contact
& people - and G+ doesn't score high on either. Facebook and
Twitter have become hubs, while Google+ is still to become one,
hence it doesn't score too high. Madhavan Narayanan, Columnist/
Associate Editor at Hindustan Times Gagandeep Singh Sapra,
Entrepreneur & Popularly known as The Big Geek I cannot say
about others, but for me social media has helped me get real time
feedback about what people think about a new product or feature.
Earlier, the conversations were limited to few people; however,
with the aid of social media, that's changed tremendously. I don't
use social media to set the topic of my stories; rather I use to
build on them. In other words, conversations on social media don't
influence what I write, but of course the tonality does get
affected because of real time feedback. EXPERT SPEAK SECTION 4